Disney+ is starting to roll out Verts, its new short-form video stream, to US users on its mobile app. First announced in January, the TikTok-like Verts stream features scenes and moments from movies and TV shows on Disney+.
Following the success of TikTok and Instagram Reels, Verts is designed to drive daily engagement and reach viewers from mobile, while increasing discovery across the Disney+ catalog.
Users will be able to access the feed via a new icon in the app’s navigation bar. As users swipe through the stream, they can add shows to their watch list or jump directly to the show or movie.
“With the latest streaming hits and an incredible catalog spanning more than 100 years of storytelling, we’re making it easy for fans to discover what to watch next,” the company wrote in a blog post. “Verts offers a fun, fast way to explore this catalog from the moment users open the app. It brings the magic of Disney storytelling into a format that feels modern, engaging and tailored to how fans already enjoy discovering video on mobile devices.”
While Verts is starting as a way to display clips from content on Disney+, the company says it will eventually include “content from creators that reflect our Marvels, as well as other forms of storytelling, types of content and personalized experiences.”
Disney says early testing in August on both Disney+ and ESPN showed that Verts drove additional engagement. The company believes this commitment can be attributed to its “advanced algorithm” that powers the recommendation engine for Verts, making content personalized for each user. Disney’s investment in the algorithm for Verts makes sense, as TikTok’s success can be attributed to the effectiveness of its recommendation algorithm.
Disney+ isn’t the first streamer to explore vertical video, as Netflix launched a vertical stream last year that lets users scroll through clips from its original titles.
By introducing short-form video content, Disney+ and Netflix are targeting younger users who are used to watching quick clips on their phone rather than long-form content like TV shows and movies. If they can grab a user’s interest, there’s a chance they’ll go on to watch the full TV show or movie that drew them in in the first place.
